Introducting our new administrator: Jon Birts

This is just a short post to introduce myself as the new administrator for Participation Cymru. Since joining the team in June I have been learning lots about the concepts of citizen engagement, participation and involvement. Through helping to arrange the new upcoming training programme, I now have a good insight into the different types and levels of participation. However as it is such a broad and varied concept I still have a lot to learn.

For three years prior to starting this job I have worked in Health and Social Care, and had lots of contact with service users at ‘ground level’. One of the things that interests me most about participation is the idea of hearing views and opinions on how care and support should be delivered from those receiving it. Networks are a great way of bringing people together and sharing and gathering information which can then be fed back to the organisations in charge of monitoring services.

Working in an administrative capacity, I don’t often get to see the good work that Participation Cymru does, so I’m looking forward to taking part in the accredited Public Engagement course in September, and attending the South East Wales Participation Network in October. See you there!